Former Middlesbrough midfielder Martín Payero could be heading back to England with a surprise move to the Premier League. According to reports in Italy, Aston Villa are weighing up a move for the 26-year-old Argentinian, who has impressed with Udinese.
Payero made 16 appearances for Boro before joining Boca Juniors on a season-long loan in 2022, where he won the Argentine Primera Division, and was sold on a permanent deal to Udinese for around £3m in 2023. His two seasons in Serie A have seen him make 56 appearances, with Napoli and now Villa taking interest.
He could be available for around £10m this summer, with Villa reportedly looking for squad options ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Payero may have struggled to make an impact at Boro but felt the move was an important one in his development. Speaking in 2023 he said: “At Banfield I was 15 years old when I joined and before that I played for my hometown team. They were years in which I learned a lot and after a very good season I came to Europe and continued to learn. It was a very important experience for me and I approached it by giving my best. Middlesbrough was another important step, I felt the change in the first month, but then I settled in."
Traore contract decision
Fulham have announced that former Middlesbrough winger Adama Traore will stay at the club for at least another season, along wth Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez. Options have been triggered on the trio's contracts to extend their stays at Craven Cottage until June 2026.
Traore has eight assists and two goals for Marco Silva's side this season and the 29-year-old will continue in the Premier League as they look to push for European places next season. He made 71 appearances for Boro in a two-year spell at the Riverside, scoring five times before moving to Wolves in 2018.
Fulham cice-chairman Tony Khan said: "Harry has been a huge part of the success we've enjoyed under (manager) Marco Silva, scoring some vitally important goals, and it's great to see him back. Adama and Raul both joined in the summer of 2023 and their significant contributions have shown exactly why we wanted to bring them to the football club."
Lampard future
Southampton could make a move for Coventry City manager Frank Lampard after the Sky Blues' play-off agony. Dan Ballard's last-gasp goal sent Sunderland to the final and meant Coventry will have to go again in the Championship next season.
Lampard re-energised City after taking over from Mark Robins, guiding them up to the table before the beat Boro on the final day to earn a play-off spot. However, newly-relegated Southampton could make a move for the former Chelsea and West Ham star, with the Saints on the lookout for a new head coach.
Play-off final kick-off confirmed
The Championship play-off final between Sunderland and Sheffield United on May 24 wiill kick-off at 3pm. The match at Wembley is one of the most valuable in world football, with winning this year's match and reaching the Premier League estimated to be worth around £220million in extra income.
The EFL said the kick-off time had been confirmed following a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group. The league said the meeting included representatives from all relevant agencies and other stakeholders, including the Metropolitan Police and Wembley National Stadium. The Blades sealed their place in the final on Monday and some of the club's supporters have criticised the EFL for not confirming the kick-off time earlier to help with travel and accommodation arrangements.